Another cold and frosty morning which soon burned off as soon as the sun hit the valley. Rolled out of the campsite with Chris, who had arrived the previous afternoon. We rode the climb of Marshall Pass together and had a good chat. Nice guy - is a lecturer in Russian studies and was interesting to hear about his time spent in Russia. At the top we were informed by a couple of Kiwi riders that this was the seventh pass we’d done of over 3,000m elevation since starting. I’m still quite surprised the altitude hasn’t had more of an effect on me. 

 

Down the other side and into Salida, which sits on the Arkansas River and is a hotspot for rafting and other water sports. Continuing the vibe of Colorado as a really cool place that would be great to live.

Lots of the others from the past couple of days were planning on staying in Salida but I was keen to push on a little further. This was partly due to the cost of accommodation in town ($40 for a bunk bed in a hostel) but also I am keen to avoid getting sucked into the comfort and convenience of towns. There'll be lots of opportunities to eat nice food or have a beer at a bar when I’ve finished this trip but less so to ride my bike up a mountain and pitch my tent amongst the trees. 

 

So I stocked up on food and water and began the climb out of Salida. I’d only planned to go on a few miles but initially there were no good camping spots and then I figured I may as well get to the top of the pass where there ACA maps indicated there was an informal campground. Didn’t see anything particularly suitable so rode down the descent until it became a bit greener and there was a flatish spot to pull off the road. Although this type of camping is perfectly legal in National Forests, there’s still always a small part of me that thinks somebody will come and tell me to move. 

 

A slightly longer day than anticipated but makes the next two a bit easier. Still finding the balance of making progress but also taking time to enjoy things. Planning a short day into Frisco where I should be able to camp on the lake and do some swimming.